


Dinner and Drinks

by pmastamonkmonk



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:19:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22220167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pmastamonkmonk/pseuds/pmastamonkmonk
Summary: Alastor and Angel Dust can barely tolerate each other and Charlie seeks to fix that.
Relationships: Alastor/Angel Dust (Hazbin Hotel)
Comments: 29
Kudos: 742





	Dinner and Drinks

Angel Dust was exhausted. He’d spent the last week bouncing between the studio, the hotel, and several clubs at Valentino’s beck and call. He’d been passed between johns like a bad penny, dolled up as a date almost every other night, and even trussed up as entertainment at a sex party resulting in several rope burns and bruises. Finally, though, after a halfway decent night’s sleep his phone was blissfully silent. Not an alert or a missed call or a text message to be seen, no address and time, no requests or expectations.

Quiet.

Not wishing to look such good fortune in the mouth, Angel Dust had taken the morning to pamper himself a bit. A long, luxurious bath, a thorough brushing, and a comfy oversized sweater dress found him making his way down the stairs and through the lobby at nearly two in the afternoon, Fat Nuggets snuffling after him.

“Look who decided to finally grace us with his presence,” Husker snarked, wiping down a glass behind the bar. Alastor was seated primly at the end, a tumbler of bourbon resting before him as he idly flipped through a stack of paperwork, not even glancing up. “Who you been with all week?”

Angel Dust stuck his tongue out before blowing Husk a kiss. “If you want me all to yourself, Husky, I can get you my rates. I’ll even give you a discount ‘cause you’re cute.”

The cat bristled up, pointedly turning away with the barest of a flush to his cheeks. Angel Dust laughed, looking over to the other bar patron.

“You too, Smiles, that original offer’s always open for you.”

“I’d rather jump into a pit of broken glass and used needles,” the other man proclaimed brightly, not glancing up. “End up with less infections, I’m sure.”

Angel Dust made a face, “ _End up with less infections_ … and you assholes wonder why I don’t come hang out all the time. Fuck off,” he snapped his fingers, leading Fat Nuggets down the hall to the garden exit.

The afternoon sun was warm so he made his way to a large tree growing near the edge of the property. Charlie had decided a place for tenants to “enjoy nature in a controlled space” would be beneficial and had been trying, and mostly failing, to put together a garden. A few plants had powered through, though he assumed the tree had been there for decades based on the size of it.

Plopping down at the base, he leaned back with a sigh, arms folding over his abdomen as Fat Nuggets began rooting around the grass and digging at a shrub. It was nice, to be able to relax somewhere quiet with no one coming to bother or paw at him.

Which is why he was quite surprised when Alastor, of all people, approached him an hour later.

“Angel Dust, my good fellow, you and I are going out this evening!”

Angel Dust’s brow knit, one raising in confusion. He gave the Radio Demon a quick once over, “Not the worst way I’ve been asked on a date, but why the change of heart, Smiles? Wouldn’t want you to get an infection.”

Alastor laughed, “Oh, you misunderstand! I’ve been instructed by our delightful owner to spend some quality time with you. One meal, once a week. Consider it therapy.”

“Huh. Why would Chacha want that?”

“She believes it will promote camaraderie between us and boost hotel morale! I do believe her hopes are that we will begin to get along much better. Her expression when it ultimately fails will be quite entertaining, though, I’m sure.”

Angel Dust stared at him, blinking slowly. “Yeah… no dice. I finally got some time to myself, consider my refusal a gift.” He relaxed back against the tree, closing his eyes. “Come up with something and I’ll lie to her for ya if ya want.”

“I’m quite surprised, I thought you would jump at the opportunity to invade my personal time!”

Shrugging, Angel Dust raised an arm as Fat Nuggets cuddled into crook of his elbow. “Not in the business of hanging out where I’m not wanted, really. It’s fun to rile you up and everything, but not so much fun to have you around because you were ordered to be.” He gave a little wriggle of his own, getting more comfortable. “Tell Charlie we went for coffee or somethin’, I’ll back you up if she asks. No reason to waste both our nights.”

Alastor didn’t respond and by the time Angel Dust opened his eyes, the other man was gone.

\--

“Angel Dust, I’d really appreciate it if you gave it a try!”

“But I don’t _want_ to,” he countered, propping his feet up on her desk as he crossed his arms.

Charlie pouted, “You and Alastor have been both living here for almost six months now and you can barely last being in the same room for more than two minutes before you start bickering! And not even the fun bickering like you and Vaggie but like you actually get mad at each other!”

“That’s because he’s a strawberry dick who thinks he’s better than everybody else.”

“I really think some quality time outside the hotel, one on one, will help you two get to know each other more. And when you’ve found some common ground maybe you can actually be friends!”

Angel Dust raised an eyebrow. “He called me an incorrigable harlot and insinuated my dick was gonna rot off when I asked him where Husk had gone the other day.”

Charlie winced. “I talked to him about that! I told him he needed to stop being so abrasive but I need you to meet him in the middle and… maybe not be such a flirt? You know it makes him uncomfortable.”

Angel Dust frowned down at her. “What’s in it for me?”

“Huh?”

“Say I do go along with your little plan… what do I get out of it? His majesty’s presence ain’t exactly worth its weight in gold, if you catch my drift.”

Pouting, Charlie huffed. “Fine. I really hoped it wouldn’t have to come to this… Husker told me how fast you burn through your good boy points when you get them. If you go through with going out once a week with Alastor for quality time, I’ll give you an extra fifty good boy points for each successful trip. BUT!” she held up a finger, “you have to go through with the whole meal and at least try to make an effort!”

Angel Dust’s eyebrows shot up at the prospect of an extra fifty points. It usually took him close to three weeks to earn that many, and to get it just for going out to dinner? He’d be able to damn near close out the bar once a week just by letting Al be a dick to him.

“I just want the two of you to get along better,” Charlie sighed. “You managed to get even Vaggie to like you, but when you and Al are around each other it’s like cats and dogs. You seemed to like him just fine at first, but now the things you guys say to each other… Feelings get hurt… it makes me sad to think that two of my closest friends can’t get along. And if it takes bribing you to at least try-”

“Hey, hey, no guilting me, you already offered the points and I’m gonna take ‘em.” He stood up, awkwardly patting her on the shoulder, unsure how to respond to the tears in her eyes. “I’ll do it, you just tell him to come get me whenever.”

Squealing, Charlie engulfed him in a tight hug, pressing three of his arms to his sides. With his free hand, he patted the back of her head, looking up to the ceiling and wondering just what she’d managed to bribe Alastor with to get him to agree to this – it must’ve been something good.

\--

It was three days later that Alastor approached him with an invitation for dinner. Angel Dust, mouth pursed up and eyes narrowed, glanced at Charlie lurking around the doorway before standing from his place on the sofa and dutifully following after the other man until they hit the street.

“So can we just lie and say we went out or…?”

“Sadly, no,” Alastor replied, “Charlie saw through our attempts at subterfuge and has asked for a photo to be sent to prove that we actually went somewhere together.”

“Smart broad,” Angel Dust grinned, proud of the blonde for being able to see through them so easily. “Well, in that case, I know a joint nearby. No need to stretch this out for too long,” he took an immediate right, much to Alastor’s displeasure, though after a few steps, the other man fell back into stride with him.

“I will not being going to one of those filthy little clubs you go to.”

“Well good thing that’s not where we’re going, asshole.” They walked for close to twenty minutes, turning down a few more blocks before ducking down a side street, stopping in front of a restaurant. “Ta da,” he waved his hands with a flourish, “good enough for you, Bambi?”

Alastor peered up at the sign above them, pleased to see no extra x’s or neon adorning the establishment.

_Miseria e Nobilita_

“I’m surprised, I highly expected some sort of seedy dive bar full of black lights and venereal diseases but this place seems quite nice. Are you sure they’ll let you in?” Alastor opened the door, gesturing for Angel Dust to enter.

Angel Dust rolled his eyes, passing by with a bored expression on his face. The inside of the restaurant was nice by Hell’s standards, white table cloths, wooden accents, and a cozy atmosphere. Without being asked, a hostess began leading the two to a table and Alastor raised a brow at how at ease Angel Dust was with sliding into the chair across from him.

A server approached, short in stature with obvious bear like attributes– large brown eyes, small curled ears, and just a bit stocky - and Angel Dust smiled, not even bothering to open up his menu. “Angie, long time no see, where’s your sister?”

“Molls ain’t here, Teddy, but thanks for askin’ after her,” Angel Dust gestured to Alastor. “Decided to take a friend out instead.”

Teddy looked over to Alastor, eyes widening in surprise as he recognized the famous Radio Demon. He glanced between the two for a few moments before subtly sliding closer to Angel Dust. “How nice. Have you had a chance to consider your order?”

“I’ll take my usual,” Angel Dust handed the menu over. “What about you, Al?”

Alastor tilted his head ever so slightly, obviously off kilter at the interaction playing out before him. “I’m sure whatever you’ve ordered will be wonderful, my good fellow,” he looked up at Teddy with his ever present smile, “and a glass of wine to match.”

“Of course,” Teddy accepted his menu as well, giving them an odd look before heading back towards the kitchen. They fell back into a silence, heavy and unnerving.

It was strange not to have Angel Dust fill the silence, and for once Alastor found himself at a loss for words. Angel Dust hadn’t even pulled out his phone, instead quietly staring out the window with his head resting in his hand.

Suddenly, Angel Dust’s eyes widened, turning to Alastor. “Shit, we forgot to take a photo when we got here,” he patted himself down, pulling out his phone and quickly opening the camera app. “Do we both need to be in it? Probably. Ugh, I didn’t even fix my hair, my make up’s a mess…” he leaned over, careful not to touch the other man as he flipped the camera into selfie mode. “Alright, Smiles, smile!”

Alastor blinked in surprise and before he realized, Angel Dust was back on his side of the table, shooting off a quick text message. Finished, he huffed, setting his phone face down between them on the side of the table before turning his attention back out the window.

“You seem familiar with this establishment… enough to have a usual.”

“I take my sister out to lunch once in a while. She likes a taste of home.”

“So you’re Italian.”

Angel Dust’s brow furrowed, his attention finally turning back to Alastor fully. “The accent and the speaking Italian didn’t twig that for you?”

Alastor smiled, “I didn’t wish to assume. So your sister is…?”

“Down here? Yeah, whole family as far as I know.” Angel Dust glanced up when Teddy returned with their drinks, both glasses topped with white wine. Smiling, Angel Dust thanked him, taking a sip before setting the glass down in front of him. “Don’t think you can really escape it when you’re in the family.”

Alastor paused, wine glass halfway to his mouth. “You were a mobster.”

“Well… yeah? Did you not know that? I thought everyone knew that.” Angel Dust picked his drink back up, “Didn’t enjoy it, really… lucky me, I was born with a pretty face and a mouth like a hoover. Ran off when I was a kid and picked up the streets to make ends meet. Pops was real happy about that, I’ll tell you.”

Taking a delicate sip, Alastor nodded. “Did you come from a large family, then?”

Angel Dust stared at him for a long moment, eyes narrowing suspiciously as he took a drink.

“Charlie wants us to get to know each other, does she not? Seems only pertinent to gather some information about each other. I was an only child.” He gestured to Angel Dust to respond.

“Older brother. Twin sister.”

Alastor hummed, “And you said you didn’t enjoy the lifestyle. Too violent?”

Snorting, Angel Dust downed the rest of his wine, setting the glass aside. “I was in a turf war the day you pranced into the hotel, y’think I don’t like violence?” he shook his head. “Pops wasn’t picky about who he targeted. Didn’t bother me when people who deserved it got whacked… heck, I enjoy a chance to blow off some steam and bust some skulls. But when civvies got pulled in? Kids? Nah,” he leaned back, sighing, “not what I wanted my hands dirty with.”

He glanced up as Teddy approached, placing a heaping plate of linguine with clams in front of both of them and just as easily replacing Angel Dust’s wine glass with a full one.

“Looks great, Teddy. Hope you like garlic, Smiles, because they don’t hold back here.” He picked up his fork and twirled a generous portion of buttery pasta up, bringing it to his mouth with obvious delight.

Alastor eyed the plate before him before following suit. “I’ve not had much Italian food in my time down here,” he admitted, “or in my living time.”

“Not from New York, then.”

“Louisiana, actually.”

Angel Dust let out a hum of surprise, “Wouldn’t know it listenin’ t’ya, y’sound like you walked right outta _My Girl Friday_ ,”

“Hard to succeed in radio with a notable accent so I taught myself the proper elocution.”

Nose wrinkling, Angel Dust took another bite, “Oh. _Correct Speech_.” He speared a piece of clam, chewing thoughtfully. “Molls picked that up at her fancy charm school… Pops didn’t think we boys really needed it, thank Christ. Listening to her switch back and forth was real weird.” He paused, narrowing his eyes in thought for a moment, mouth working silently. “ _But that doesn’t mean we didn’t like to play Katharine Hepburn when we had a chance. Wonderful woman, Hepburn, gal who knew what she wanted in life and just took it.”_

Alastor almost dropped his fork at how Angel Dust’s thick Bronx accent slipped away, melting into a wobbly imitation of his own transatlantic accent. Obviously decades out of practice, but the basic pronunciations and foundation still there.

If Angel Dust noticed his distraction, he didn’t comment, swallowing down another bite of pasta, his own nasally accent coming back without a thought. “So what’d you like about Louisana? Heard it’s humid as fuck there.”

“Well, yes,” Alastor felt like he had whiplash. “But also quite lively. The music, the food, though I spent much of my youth in the bayou.”

Humming, Angel Dust continued eating, not looking up from his plate. “New York was nice. Winter was rough, but snow’s pretty. It snow down there?”

“Not often.”

“Shame.”

They fell into a not quite companionable silence, continuing to work through their plates. Alastor observed Angel Dust, noting his posture – relaxed with his back straight, not slouching as he usually did – and his general countenance. With how Angel Dust behaved at the hotel, he’d expected him to have abysmal table manners, but he supposed being a somewhat high class rent boy he’d have spent his fair share of evenings as arm candy and would’ve needed to learn the proper etiquette. He’d also mentioned his sister going to charm school. He attempted to picture what Angel Dust’s twin sister would look like and raised his wine glass just as Angel Dust finished the last of his plate.

Reaching into his blazer, Angel Dust downed the rest of his wine and pulled out a wad of cash from his breast pocket, tossing it down. “This should cover everything. Take your time, Teddy’s not gonna rush you.”

Alastor realized he still had almost half his plate full as he watched Angel Dust stand to leave. “Well, I’m sure you have an eventful evening planned. Thank you for dinner, perhaps I’ll pick the next venue.”

Humming noncommittally, Angel Dust leaned over, snapping another quick picture – sure to show Alastor’s half eaten plate – before sending it off to Charlie. “Sure, why not. We got a week to think on it.”

Angel Dust started to send another text as he walked away, waving at Teddy as he passed and not noticing how Alastor’s gaze followed him out the door and through the window as he made his way to the main road.

\--

Angel Dust had survived his evening with Alastor and enjoyed his credits at the hotel bar that same night. Though, if the goal had been for the two of them to get along better, it had certainly failed.

They still sniped at one another whenever they ended up in the same room. Angel Dust would resist the urge to flirt just long enough for Alastor to insult him and soon enough something would be said that sent Angel Dust storming off.

The only thing that had changed was that Alastor had taken more interest in Angel Dust’s comings and goings from the hotel – and not just in the snide overbearing way he had done just to rankle the porn star previously. He at least attempted to seem interested when he asked… however like most of their conversations, he just couldn’t seem to resist being a prick.

“Going somewhere?”

Angel Dust smirked, hips cocked, bending forward to accentuate the fullness of his chest fluff and the shortness of his skirt. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Well, yes, that’s why I asked.” Alastor seemed nonplussed by the provocative picture Angel Dust painted, but Angel Dust was just as unbothered by his lack of reaction.

“Val’s got me on call tonight,” Angel Dust walked two fingers up Alastor’s chest, flicking at his bow tie. “Charlie signed me out and everythin’. Can’t argue with an overlord’s contract.”

Alastor hummed, using his microphone to push his hand away. “I’ll be sure to ready the hose for when you return.”

“Oh, honey, there won’t be a mess.” He reached two long fingers up, theatrically pressing them down his throat and pulling them back with barely a flutter of his eyelashes. “I swallow.” He kissed the tips of his spit slick fingers with a wink, waving as he turned towards the door. “Don’t wait up, Smiles, you’ll need to be rested for our date tomorrow, hope you picked somewhere nice to take me.”

He cackled at the disgusted curl to Alastor’s mouth, heels clicking as he stalked away.

\--

Angel Dust had hoped he could speed through each mandated meeting – if he finished his plate the meal was over and that meant he could leave. The less time alone in his majesty’s presence the better as far as he was concerned. However, he should’ve known Charlie was not one to allow for such loopholes and she’d mandated that they’d have to be together for at least one full hour at the venue.

“But I stayed for the whole dinner! I sent you the pictures, even!”

“You were barely there for like thirty minutes!” Charlie countered, “Al, didn’t even finish his food! That’s not quality time at all!”

Angel Dust huffed. “Does getting to the venue count as time served?”

Charlie pouted, “No. I want a picture when you sit down and another when you leave, with at least _one hour_ between them!” At Angel Dust’s glare, she sighed. “It doesn’t have to be food. It can be at a bar or a café or whatever, I just want you two to _talk_ to each other. Can you do that? For me?”

Scowling and considering fifty good boy points, Angel Dust cursed and stalked away, Alastor following him out the door. The other man seemed nonplussed at the change to the rules, leading him leisurely through the streets to a high end bar on the north end of the Pentagram.

The second they sat at the bar, Angel snapped a quick selfie, sure to the flip off the camera, and sent it off before ordering a cocktail and setting a timer for one hour with a deep, unhappy sigh.

“Come now, surely an hour of your time is not so hard bought?”

Angel Dust glowered at him, “You got five hundred bucks on ya? That’ll get you an hour with no complaining.”

“I do,” the patron next to them, a lizard-like demon, leaned over, grinning salaciously and looking Angel Dust over with a lewd gleam in his eyes, focusing on his thighs and fluffy chest. “Anyone ever tell you how pretty you are?”

Alastor raised an eyebrow at the demon leaning so far into Angel Dust’s space. He half expected the spider to preen under the attention and step out on their evening, but was surprised when the other man batted his eyelashes and put a hand to his chest, “Oh, no, sir. Today’s my first day out of doors and papa forbade mirrors in the house lest we fall victim to vanity.”

The lizardman stared at Angel Dust in confusion, eyes narrowing and Alastor had to bite back a laugh.

“So is that a…?”

“That’s a get lost, chump, can’t you see I’m busy?” Angel Dust rolled his eyes, shoving him away and accepting his drink before turning to the rest of the bar, crossing his legs daintily and folding his lower set of arms in his lap. Pointedly ignoring the other man, he didn’t notice how he attempted to reach for him before his eyes widened fearfully, suddenly loping off, glancing up only when Alastor spoke.

“You’re pacing yourself. Usually you’d be on your third by this point.”

“Meetin’ someone after we’re done here,” Angel Dust shrugged, taking another prim sip and turning his attention back to the room in front of him. “Trust me, I’d rather be drunk for this.”

Alastor didn’t reply, simply observing him and sipping carefully from his own tumbler of bourbon as the minutes ticked down on the phone between them.

“You ever realize that no one’s ever been inside an empty room?”

“…Excuse me?”

Angel Dust tilted his head, eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he took another sip from his drink but didn’t look at Alastor. “Like… you go in an empty room. It’s not empty anymore ‘cause you’re in it. You can’t be in an empty room.”

“Where is this coming from?”

He shrugged, “I was thinkin’ about how the word Mercedes has three different e’s and they all sound different and then I wondered how many Mercedes I could fit in this room if it was empty… and then I realized that if I was in the room still it wouldn’t be empty.” He paused. “Wouldn’t be empty if the Mercedes were in here, either, I guess.”

Alastor stared at him as Angel Dust took another sip, looking thoughtfully out at the room again.

“Y’could probably fit at least like… ten Mercedes in here. If you parked ‘em right and took the furniture out first, ‘course.” He tilted his head, glancing at the bar behind him. “Maybe like… two more if the bar was gone.” Another long sip and he hummed. “Why _do_ all the e’s in Mercedes sound different?”

“Is this what your brain is like all the time?”

Angel Dust finally looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “Well, sometimes it’s like ‘fuck yeah, fuck me harder, Daddy, pull my hair I love it’, but like… fuck, can’t be like that all the time.” He looked back out into the room, purposefully slurping the last of his drink through his straw ice rattling at the bottom of the glass. “It’s probably cause it’s like… Latin and Spanish.”

Alastor resisted the urge to grimace and sigh, ready to give up on following this roller coaster train of thought. “What is? Your brain?”

“No, that’s the lobotomy. Mercedes. It’s a Spanish name… I mean, before it was a car. Those’re German. But like… it’s from ‘ _merced’_ in Latin. Prolly why the e’s are all pronounced different.”

Staring at him, Alastor let his drink rest on the bar, blinking slowly. Angel Dust wasn’t looking at him, and didn’t even seem to be purposefully ignoring him, chewing on the end of his straw and looking into the middle distance thoughtfully. He had no response to such a strange stream of consciousness, nor to the confirmation that his two toned eyes had been caused by ‘treatment’.

Of course, now that Angel Dust had asked such a question, Alastor himself was viscerally aware of the fact that Mercedes did in fact have three e’s that were all pronounced differently and it irritated the ever loving shit out of him to be so aware of something so inconsequential.

“Any other pearls of wisdom you’d like to share?”

Angel Dust glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, blinking long lashes, lips still pursed around his straw before turning his gaze forward again.

“Have a nice day and enjoy the next twenty-four hours are pretty much the same thing but give off a whole different vibe.”

He turned on his stool back to the bar, ordering a second drink and finally setting his first down to pick up his phone.

“You have a surprisingly sharp tongue.”

Angel Dust hummed, sending off a few text messages before putting his phone back down and accepting his new drink. “A sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use.”

“Washington Irving.” Alastor was impressed. “You’re fond of his works?”

“Ma liked that short story with the headless horseman,” Angel Dust shrugged, “Can’t say he didn’t have a lasting effect on old New York.”

Alastor hummed, “You don’t sound too enthused.”

“I like Jane Austen better. Always loved Laurence Olivier in _Pride and Prejudice_ … heard they did a new one a few years ago but… eh, shouldn’t fuck with a classic in my opinion.”

“You _would_ like Laurence Olivier.”

Angel Dust turned to him, “What’ve you got against him?”

“He’s a fine enough actor, I suppose,” Alastor replied, “Though I remember seeing him in _The Temporary Widow_ and found it painfully banal – no fault of his own for poor writing. I suppose I’m just glad I died before he made it to radio. I heard a few of his broadcasts down here and, well, your accent is more discernible than his attempts ever were.”

“You _would_ get salty about a handsome guy edging in on you for radio space, wouldn’t ya?”

“I’ll have you know I was quite the looker in my prime,” Alastor countered.

Angel Dust smirked, “Knockin’ dames back with a bat, were ya?”

“One in each hand,” Alastor grinned. “A few gentlemen as well, not that I minded, of course. I didn’t entertain anyone’s advances, really… no, my work took up most of my free time and that was how I liked it.”

“Not so much to keep you from the flickers, it sounds like.”

Alastor beamed, “We both know how much I relish my entertainment.”

Humming, Angel Dust finished his drink. “If you died before he made it big on radio, must’ve been… mid thirties?”

“1933.”

“1947.” Angel Dust looked like he was going to continue speaking just as his alarm went off. Silencing it, he hesitated for a moment before reaching into his chest fl uff.

“Oh no, my dear, you paid last time so I must insist.” Angel Dust peered at him for a long moment and Alastor simply smiled. “It’s not quite five hundred dollars worth, but I’m sure we’ll have many more chances to settle up, hm?”

Rolling his eyes, Angel Dust couldn’t fight his smile, snapping another selfie to send to Charlie. “Alright, I guess, I won’t turn down free alcohol. Same time next week?”

“But of course. This experience has been quite illuminating. To find that so much goes on in that head of yours… though your taste in actors proves as questionable as your taste in alcohol.”

“Yeah, well…” Angel Dust looked slightly uncomfortable and Alastor could swear his face was flushing, “You’re the one that assumed I was stupid.”

Before Alastor could respond, Angel Dust walked away, distracting himself with his phone and sending off another text message.

However, when Angel Dust returned to his room that evening, he found a new copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ resting on his nightstand with a note that said “fifteen” and the spider couldn’t fight the smile that crossed his face.

\--

By their fourth outing, Angel Dust had realized that many of Alastor’s rude comments weren’t actually intended to be heard in such a way. In his own awkward way, he was trying to converse with Angel Dust the way Vaggie, Cherri, or even Husker would and was just… failing at it miserably. Knowing that the other man wasn’t actually judging or looking down on him and would take just as much as he would dish out made their interactions so much easier… and so much more fun.

“Okay, Al, honestly, I know you’re new to this modern tech thing and autocorrect can be blamed for a lot… but I’ve typed out more coherent texts with my dick. Hell, I could probably just send a picture of my dick and it’d make more sense.”

Alastor’s brows knit and he hid his discomfort behind his drink as Angel Dust continued staring at his phone in bewilderment.

“The keyboard and screen are small.”

Angel Dust huffed, rolling his eyes. “New rest aunt the paper lion, seven tonight. Like nice.”

“Yes, it hasn’t changed the last five times you read it. You figured it out, though. Well done, you, though I’m still surprised you can read at all.”

Rolling his eyes, Angel Dust huffed, “I had to call y’three times and you hung up on me twice before managing to answer the damn thing. Why even get a smart phone if y’can’t use it, old man.”

“You said yourself, I needed to ‘get with the times’. I’m sure I’ll have it figured out soon enough.”

Angel Dust hummed skeptically, finally setting his phone down and picking up his wine glass. “This coming from the guy that refers to any music made after 1949 as ‘bebop’.” He laughed. “At least you’re pretty, gotta have somethin’ goin’ for ya.”

Their routine had continued for several months. Tuesday afternoon, Angel Dust would keep his schedule clear and accompany the Radio Demon to a restaurant or bar and a timer for one hour would be set. Each time they went out together, they learned something new about each other.

Angel Dust learned that Alastor’s ‘correct speech’ was hiding a thick Cajun accent that the other man seemed quite embarrassed by and only came out on rare occasions of surprise or after one too many bourbons. Angel Dust could tease it out by slipping into his own mangled ‘correct speech’ – and had managed to maintain the accent for an entire evening, much to the other man’s chagrin. Since then he did it sparingly enough that it still surprised Alastor when the formal pronunciations came forth.

He noticed that Alastor was very careful with who and what he touched – every movement thought out and precise. While he was free giving when it came to touching others, he bristled when surprised by someone else’s touch. He would tense and the static around him would buzz at even the slightest brush from an inattentive waitress or a stranger in a crowded café. Somehow, Angel Dust had learned how to telegraph his movements enough that a shoulder touch or a pat on the arm to get his attention received barely the bat of an eyelash.

While Alastor was always smiling, he had… different smiles. Amused smirks when Angel Dust managed to say something he found funny, wide hollow grins when interacting with the general public, manic smiles he used while intimidating other demons, bemused smiles when someone said something he deemed exceptionally stupid – Angel Dust saw that one a lot. Angel Dust’s favorite was the soft, closed mouth smile he had, eyes half lidded and fond when he talked about things from his time alive – probably because those were also the times he’d let his accent slip out.

They’d discussed many topics, from Angel Dust’s life in New York and the mafia to Alastor’s exploits as a serial killer in the bayous of Louisana. Their family lives, their opinions on different films and songs, and on one occasion a riotous agreement that fusion cuisine was terrible and that no one in this hellscape could cook nearly as well as their mothers could. Tales of nights spent drinking far too much and laughing far too loudly were traded over plates and glasses, and soon enough the hour timer became more of a suggestion than a hard placed rule, their evenings stretching hours long if the venue allowed it.

“You were part of a cabaret show?”

“Just once,” Angel Dust shrugged, swirling his wine glass in one hand while he worked at his plate with two others. “Val wanted me to perform at this new joint and see if he could muscle in on the guy’s business. It wasn’t your run of the mill strip joint like he usually pawns me off on, this place was nice. Like capital N nice, high class girls you couldn’t touch without serious big bucks.”

Alastor raised an eyebrow, “And you managed to perform?”

“First of all, fuck you.”

Alastor grinned.

“Val worked somethin’ out with the owner. Think he thought I’d just take my top off and make an ass’a myself or somethin’ but I got into it. My brother took me to a cabaret once when we was alive and I loved it, it’s what got me into drag in the first place – it’s just…” Angel Dust set his fork down as his mouth screwed up thoughtfully. “All the dames on stage were havin’ fun. They were getting’ naked and being sexy, but you could tell they actually wanted to be doin’ it instead of like summa the girls you see at strip joints. It was like seein’ a play – they were naked but it was classy – the johns weren’t hollerin’ at ‘em the same way. Y’know?”

“I suppose I understand… never was one for either sort of experience.”

Angel Dust laughed, “Yeah, you’d be stiff as a board and no one could hear the music over your static flippin’ out, you probably skip the sex scenes in books y’read.” He took another sip of wine, still giggling at the image of Alastor at a strip joint. “Anyways, he gets me signed up and obviously thinks I’m gonna half ass it but, nah, I made a whole outfit for myself and put together a routine to _Minnie the Moocher_ with all these reveals and choreography. I dolled myself up real nice, I know you ain’t inta that stuff, but it was _classy_ , even when I got down to my skivvies at the end.”

Alastor tilted his head, “And I’m sure someone with your reputation was quite the draw for the venue.”

“Oh you bet, the crowd was goin’ _nuts_. Eatin’ outta the palm of my hand, biggest reaction for the whole night.”

“I’m surprised if it went so well that you didn’t continue. You obviously enjoyed it from how you tell the story.”

Angel Dust huffed, frowning into his wine. “Yeah, well Val wasn’t too happy. Said he didn’t pay me to be a showgirl and pawned me off on some schmuck for the night. I tried going back to the club a few months later and when he heard I’d done it… well…” he sighed, eyes downcast and shoulders hunching awkwardly. “Anyways. He lets me do full on drag every so often at his clubs if I’m good, but only like… basic stuff. Nothin’ fancy. Doesn’t even let me sing my own songs, I gotta lip sync when he lets me on stage, but it’s somethin’.”

They sat in silence for a long moment as Angel Dust finished his drink and moved his food around his plate with his fork. “Well,” Alastor hid his face by taking a long sip of his own drink, “if your appearance this evening has anything to say about it, your drag performances must be splendid.”

Flushing, Angel Dust swallowed and stared down at his plate. It was true he’d done himself up that evening with a wavy blonde wig and even more feminine makeup than usual. He’d even pulled out his favorite little black dress for the occasion – but he hadn’t expected Alastor to comment on it.

“Yeah, well… maybe next time he lets me on stage I’ll give you a heads up. See for yourself maybe.”

“Maybe.”

Angel Dust chanced a glance up, catching Alastor staring at him over his glass and felt his face flush again, turning his attention back down to his plate. He suddenly felt a swarm of butterflies roiling in his stomach. The reaction had become much more common the more time they spent together outside of the hotel and even popped up when he passed the other man in the hallways of the hotel. He wasn’t quite sure when he’d gone from dreading these evenings to looking forward to them, but he was glad Charlie’d set it up and secretly hoped Alastor felt the same way.

“Angel Dust-“

His phone blared to life.

Angel Dust jolted, frowning when it was a phone call and not the alarm. “It’s Val… gimme a second.” He answered the call, pitching his voice up and forcing a smile into his words. “Oh hey, Daddy, I-“ his face fell. “…ah, it’ll take me a while to get there…” he cringed and Alastor could hear Valentino’s beratement through the phone. “Oh no, Daddy, I ain’t sayin’ no t’ya, I’m just not at the hotel… of course I’m not on a date, Daddy, I just…” another wince and more yelling, Angel Dust shrinking into himself. “Yes, Daddy. Of course, Daddy.”

He tossed his phone back on the table, scowling down at his plate before closing his eyes and sighing.

“Sorry ‘bout that… duty calls.”

“We still have another quarter of an hour, surely it can wait a few more minutes.”

Angel Dust laughed hollowly as he rose to his feet, smoothing down his dress with his lower hands and pocketing his phone. “This is Val we’re talkin’ about. Fifty good boy points ain’t worth what he’ll do t’me if I don’t get goin’. I’m already on thin ice showin’ up lookin’ like this.”

Alastor stopped him as he reached into his chest fluff. “What sort of gentleman would I be, especially when you’ve been called away before finishing,” he waved his hand, smirking with his next words. “We’ll raincheck – though I must have long passed the five hundred mark so I expect no complaints from you next time.”

He smiled when Angel Dust laughed much more genuinely, “Smiles, dunno if you’ll ever get me without _some_ sort of complaint… but we’ll call the next one of a freebie to make up for whatever you’re missing out on by me leaving early. Handsome guy like you shouldn’t have to pay,” he blew him a cheeky kiss, making his way to the exit, missing how Alastor’s confused gaze followed him out.

He also missed Alastor watching from the shadows as he returned to the hotel that night, wig in his hand, dress torn, and a raising bruise on his cheek.

\--

“Angel Dust, might I have a word?”

Angel Dust glanced up from his place lounging on the sofa. “Anthropomorphism.” He grinned, his gold tooth gleaming, “All yours, Smiles.”

Alastor frowned through his smile, if possible and Angel Dust laughed, standing up and following him out of the room. “Charlie has requested our presence.”

“Pissed off about the other night?” Angel Dust asked, remembering the talking to he’d gotten from Vaggie for missing curfew.

“There you two are!” Charlie beamed as they entered her office, gesturing for them to sit down. Angel Dust folded into one of the chairs sideways, his long legs crossing as he leaned against an arm while Alastor remained standing.

After a long moment, she rolled her eyes at the Radio Demon, turning her attention to Angel Dust. “So. I’ve been doing some thinking and I’ve decided that… well, Vaggie helped me think about it, too, so… uh…”

Angel Dust raised a brow at her, arms crossing.

“We’re not gonna give you good boy points to go out with Alastor anymore.”

“What? Why?!”

Charlie winced, “Well, it seems silly to pay you when you guys seem to have started getting along better? It’s been almost three months and, yeah, I mean, you still fight and bicker but like… a whole lot less? Al even came and explained why you had to leave early last time and asked for us to still give you your points even though you didn’t make it the whole hour – he didn’t have to do that!”

Angel Dust turned, looking at Alastor in surprise. The other man was resolutely not looking at him, his cardboard smile in place, blinking slowly.

“I just wanted to give you a heads up,” she continued, counting out a few point slips and Angel Dust turned his attention back to her. “You came back after curfew, so I did have to dock some… but I’m still gonna give you twenty-five for your last outing, okay? You’ve been behaving so much better so I doubt you’ll even notice those extra points missing.”

Angel Dust glanced back and twisted in surprise when he noticed that Alastor had vanished. He slumped, staring blankly at the space the other man had been occupying.

He should have been happy to still be receiving good boy points at all, or angry that he wouldn’t be getting them in the future. But instead, he just felt… disappointed? If Charlie wasn’t paying them to go out anymore, would Alastor even have a reason to sit through a drink or dinner with him? Would he even want to?

A gnawing pain opened up inside him as he turned back to Charlie, staring at the stack of good boy points on the table.

“Can ya… instead of giving those t’me, can ya change ‘em to whatever you were payin’ Smiles with to hang out with me instead?”

Charlie looked confused. “You don’t want them?”

“I mean, yeah, ‘course I do. But he deserves ‘em more for puttin’ up with me, right? He doesn’t need good boy points, so whatever he was getting’ out of this, give him that instead.”

“Whatever he was getting… oh. Angel Dust, I wasn’t giving Alastor anything to go out with you. It was his idea in the first place.”

“Huh?”

Charlie smiled at him, “I was talking to him about you two bickering so much and he thought some time away from the hotel might help. It was my idea to pay you for it because you said no the first time he asked.”

Angel Dust thought back to Alastor approaching him in the garden and how he’d blown him off. “He said it was your idea. Said you wanted to ‘promote camaraderie’ and ‘boost hotel morale’.”

“I just wanted you to stop fighting.” She shrugged. “I told Alastor to stop teasing you because you’d get so upset… I think he thought he was being funny? Like how you and Vaggie talk to each other, but he kept crossing the line and you’d storm off. I was surprised when he suggested it but it’s worked out really well, you guys seem to get along great now!”

Angel Dust thought of a now well loved novel sitting on his bed side table and Alastor’s smile hidden behind a tumbler of bourbon across white table cloths. “Yeah, I guess we do.”

“So do you still want the points?”

\--

It took several days for Angel Dust to finally catch sight of Alastor again. The other man had many talents and one of his specialties was not being caught if he didn’t want to be. He didn’t respond to texts and both Nifty and Husker were mum on where he’d disappeared off to.

But Tuesday evening, he found the red clad demon sat at his usual seat at the bar in the lobby with a glass of bourbon sitting in front of him. Without a pause for thought, Angel Dust walked right up and sat down in the empty seat next to him. Husker pointedly walked to the other side of the bar, ignoring them and Angel Dust waited.

Alastor stared at him for a long moment before turning his attention back to his drink. “You don’t need to do this anymore.”

“I know.”

“Charlie won’t be rewarding you for this.”

Angel Dust hummed. “I don’t need a reward. I like hangin’ out with you.” Alastor turned to him in surprise, smile slipping for the briefest moment before Angel Dust reached over and took his hand without looking up. “I like _you_.”

Alastor was definitely blushing now, though Angel Dust knew better than to point it out,

“Might have to branch out our activities though, I don’t have enough good boy points to get myself a drink and spent mosta my cash on new outfits – the guy I’m seein’ likes me to dress nice when we go out and he just got a fancy new phone so we can take pictures together when we go out.”

Alastor barked out a laugh, finally relaxing, fingers lacing with the spider’s. He gestured to Husker to bring another drink and slid it in front of Angel Dust when it was set down. “Of course. I believe you mentioned a fondness for the aquarium?”

Angel Dust smiled, squeezing back. “It’s a date.”


End file.
